Coming to MLB Japanese Baseball player:Shohei Ohtani

[DaLittle B]

https://twitter.com/SBNation/status/929055351080652800

What do you guy's think?

I absolutely Love the Idea of a great 2 way player,but It seems like most of these Japanese (power hitters) especially translate to great MLB power hitters.I could see him as a great hitting pitcher if He goes to the NL....The Pitching, yeah I think it translate,the Hitting ehhh...No,not as much...

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The simple equation is if he goes to the NL and is an asset as a pitcher that has a bat.....

More complex let's say he goes AL and is in fact one of the team's best bats. 

Could he start the game as a DH and end the game as a closing pitcher?

Could he be the starting pitcher 1 out of 4 games and DH 3 out of 4? 

Does he have fielding skills?  If so in either league could he pitch sometimes and play right field sometimes?

[DaLittle B]

Another Option.I could see him being used like Joe Madden used LHP Travis Wood in 2016 during a game at Wrigley.Travis pitched to 1 batter,then went to play Left Field for a  dangerous Rightie (and made nice catch against the Wall.) Then finished the inning on the mound...(I'm not 100% sure how many guy's he pitched too,and how many he played the outfield For...

There are a number of options, but I'm not sure how many of them are actually valid,till he gets here,and faces MLB pitchers,and Batters...

[EDGECRUSHER]

His career as a 2 way player will be done around 2020. It's just too hard to stay on a pitcher's schedule with rest and exercise when you are DHing 3x a week.

That being said, the Yankees are the heavy favorites because they have a DH spot available, a rotation spot available, 2nd most international bonus money, an already established Japanese pitcher to help him acclimate and marketing deals that will help offset his weak salary. Plus, they are clearly on the way up. It would be a surprise if he signed with say Cleveland or Seattle.

[DaLittle B]

And then there were 7 teams left to interview for his services Mariners, Padres, Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Dodgers and Giants...Interesting that a lot of rumors have him favoring to Padres,or Mariners...

[Sunstroke]

^^^ That's because the San Diego Padres are the pinnacle of professional sports franchises, both in Championships won and reputation among its contemporaries.

Bwahahahahaha!! I just couldn't type that with a straight keyboard. ;-)

[EDGECRUSHER]

Ohtani signed with the Angels because they are close to Japan and that's it. At least he told the other teams quickly but seems pretty stupid to ask all of them to submit plans for using him and sales pitches when he only wanted to play for a California team.

[BuccaneerBrad]

And now he's hurt and will have to have Tommy John surgery. 

[EDGECRUSHER]

He doesn't need it yet, he has been getting that platelet therapy that Tanaka got. It's possible he will get it soon, but probably not now.

Side note, the reason Tanaka didn't opt out is because he would have had to pass a physical and no chance that was going to happen.

[DaLittle B]

I admit,it's early,but I am pretty damn impressed with Ohtani,and what he's done already.

[Sunstroke]

Yeah, he's been pretty excellent so far. It will be interesting to see if the hitters start catching up to him once they've got a healthy amount of film.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I expected a hot start from him, he is super talented and for whatever reason baseball players are slow to adapt to other players despite all the video technology. I stand by my prediction though, he will be a pitcher only by 2020. The amount of work put in to be good at hitting or pitching is insane. To do both? Not possible.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I expected a hot start from him, he is super talented and for whatever reason baseball players are slow to adapt to other players despite all the video technology. I stand by my prediction though, he will be a pitcher only by 2020. The amount of work put in to be good at hitting or pitching is insane. To do both? Not possible.

Would you rather have a great pitcher or someone very good at both pitching and batting?  I would rather have the well rounded player.  Plus there is some overlap and law of diminishing returns. 

Overlap-Film study of what makes a great pitch is the same film study of what makes a great hitter.  If he is studying upcoming hitters technique to see what pitches work he is simultaneously studying what techniques hitters use to succeed against certain pitchers.

He can only make so many practice pitches before he wears out his arm.  Taking some batting practice is not going to tax his pitching arm.